Controlling Your Dopamine For Motivation, Focus & Satisfaction

This episode serves as a sort of “Dopamine Masterclass”. I discuss the immensely powerful chemical that we all make in our brain and body: dopamine. I describe what it does and the neural circuits involved. I explain dopamine peaks and baselines, and the cell biology of dopamine depletion. I include 14 tools for how to control your dopamine release for sake of motivation, focus, avoiding and combating addiction and depression, and I explain why dopamine stacking with chemicals and behaviors inevitably leads to states of underwhelm and poor performance. I explain how to achieve sustained increases in baseline dopamine, compounds that injure and protect dopamine neurons including caffeine from specific sources. I describe non-prescription supplements for increasing dopamine—both their benefits and risks—and synergy of pro-dopamine supplements with those that increase acetylcholine.

Read the full show notes for this episode at hubermanlab.com.

Thank you to our sponsors

AG1: https://athleticgreens.com/huberman

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/hubermanlab

Waking Up: https://wakingup.com/huberman

Momentous: https://livemomentous.com/huberman

Timestamps

00:00:00 Introduction & Tool 1 to Induce Lasting Dopamine

00:05:04 Sponsors: AG1, LMNT & Waking Up

00:09:10 Upcoming (Zero-Cost) Neuroplasticity Seminar for Educators

00:09:58 What Dopamine (Really) Does

00:15:30 Two Main Neural Circuits for Dopamine

00:18:14 How Dopamine Is Released: Locally and Broadly

00:22:03 Fast and Slow Effects of Dopamine

00:25:03 Dopamine Neurons Co-Release Glutamate

00:28:00 Your Dopamine History Really Matters

00:30:30 Parkinson’s & Drugs That Kill Dopamine Neurons. My Dopamine Experience

00:36:58 Tool 3 Controlling Dopamine Peaks & Baselines

00:40:06 Chocolate, Sex (Pursuit & Behavior), Nicotine, Cocaine, Amphetamine, Exercise

00:46:46 Tool 4 Caffeine Increases Dopamine Receptors

00:49:54 Pursuit, Excitement & Your “Dopamine Setpoint”

00:56:46 Your Pleasure-Pain Balance & Defining “Pain”

01:00:00 Addiction, Dopamine Depletion, & Replenishing Dopamine

01:07:50 Tool 5 Ensure Your Best (Healthy) Dopamine Release

01:15:28 Smart Phones: How They Alter Our Dopamine Circuits

01:19:45 Stimulants & Spiking Dopamine: Counterproductive for Work, Exercise & Attention

01:22:20 Caffeine Sources Matter: Yerba Mate & Dopamine Neuron Protection

01:24:20 Caffeine & Neurotoxicity of MDMA

01:26:15 Amphetamine, Cocaine & Detrimental Rewiring of Dopamine Circuits